Modern Brooches
Rooted in centuries of history of adornment dating back to the ancient world, modern jewelry reimagines traditional techniques, forms and materials for expressive new pieces. As opposed to contemporary jewelry, which responds to the moment in which it was created, modern jewelry often describes designs from the 20th to 21st centuries that reflect movements and trends in visual culture.
Modern jewelry emerged from the 19th-century shift away from jewelry indicating rank or social status. The Industrial Revolution allowed machine-made jewelry using electric gold plating, metal alloys and imitation stones, making beautiful jewelry widely accessible. Although mass production deemphasized the materials of the jewelry, the vision of the designer remained important, something that would be furthered in the 1960s with what’s known as the “critique of preciousness.”
A design fair called the “Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes” brought global attention to the Art Deco style in 1925 and gathered a mix of jewelry artists alongside master jewelers like Van Cleef & Arpels, Mauboussin and Boucheron. Art Deco designs from Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels unconventionally mixed gemstones like placing rock crystals next to diamonds while borrowing motifs from eclectic sources including Asian lacquer and Persian carpets. Among Cartier’s foremost design preoccupations at the time were high-contrast color combinations and crisp, geometric forms and patterns. In the early 20th century, modernist jewelers like Margaret De Patta and artists such as Alexander Calder — who is better known for his kinetic sculptures than his provocative jewelry — explored sculptural metalwork in which geometric shapes and lines were preferred over elaborate ornamentation.
Many of the innovations in modern jewelry were propelled by women designers such as Wendy Ramshaw, who used paper to craft her accessories in the 1960s. During the 1970s, Elsa Peretti created day-to-night pieces for Tiffany & Co. while designers like Lea Stein experimented with layering plastic, a material that had been employed in jewelry since the mid-19th century and had expanded into Bakelite, acrylics and other unique materials.
Find a collection of modern watches, bracelets, engagement rings, necklaces, earrings and other jewelry on 1stDibs.
2010s Thai Modern Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, White Gold
Early 2000s American Modern Brooches
Diamond, Cultured Pearl, Platinum
1960s American Vintage Modern Brooches
Mixed Metal
1970s Italian Vintage Modern Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s American Modern Brooches
Yellow Diamond, Yellow Sapphire, Blue Sapphire, Pearl, Moonstone, Emeral...
Late 20th Century Modern Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
1940s American Vintage Modern Brooches
Gold-filled
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s German Modern Brooches
Diamond, Quartz, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Jade, 18k Gold, White Gold
1980s American Vintage Modern Brooches
Mixed Metal
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, Gold, 14k Gold, Rose Gold
1990s Unknown Modern Brooches
Diamond, White Gold
1960s American Vintage Modern Brooches
Mixed Metal
20th Century American Modern Brooches
Diamond, Enamel
2010s French Modern Brooches
1960s American Vintage Modern Brooches
Mixed Metal
1990s Israeli Modern Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Hong Kong Modern Brooches
Diamond, Pink Sapphire, 18k Gold
Early 2000s Italian Modern Brooches
Diamond, Sapphire, Tsavorite, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s Israeli Modern Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
1960s Vintage Modern Brooches
Silver Plate, Steel
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Paraiba, Tourmaline, Emerald, White Diamond, Diamond, Yellow Gold, White...
21st Century and Contemporary Indian Modern Brooches
Diamond, White Gold, 14k Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold
1950s Vintage Modern Brooches
Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1980s Spanish Vintage Modern Brooches
1940s American Vintage Modern Brooches
Mixed Metal
21st Century and Contemporary American Modern Brooches
White Diamond, Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
2010s German Modern Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Late 20th Century American Modern Brooches
Jasper, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brooches
Diamond, Agate, Malachite, Jasper, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
20th Century American Modern Brooches
Diamond, Yellow Gold, Platinum, Enamel
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Brooches
Diamond, South Sea Pearl, Ruby, Pearl, 18k Gold, Gold
1960s American Vintage Modern Brooches
Mixed Metal
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Diamond, Quartz, Topaz, Blue Topaz, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, 14k Gol...
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Beryl, Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White...
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Chrome Tourmaline, White Diamond, Diamond, Yellow Gold, White Gold, Rose...
1990s Modern Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Beryl, Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, White...
20th Century American Modern Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
1980s American Vintage Modern Brooches
Agate, Diamond, Black Pearl, 18k Gold
Early 2000s Italian Modern Brooches
Diamond, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, Platinum
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Quartz, Amber, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
Early 2000s German Modern Brooches
Diamond, Blue Sapphire, 18k Gold, White Gold
1990s Italian Modern Brooches
Amethyst, Citrine, Diamond, Peridot, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Chalcedony, Diamond, White Diamond, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Modern Brooches
Diamond, Ruby, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
1990s Italian Modern Brooches
Amethyst, Citrine, Diamond, Peridot, 18k Gold, White Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Paraiba, Tourmaline, Emerald, White Diamond, Diamond, Yellow Gold, White...
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Chalcedony, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Citrine, Diamond, Quartz, Gold, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold
1980s German Vintage Modern Brooches
Diamond, Opal, White Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Amethyst, Diamond, White Diamond, Quartz, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Whi...
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Diamond, White Diamond, Chrome Tourmaline, Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Wh...
1970s French Vintage Modern Brooches
Gold, 18k Gold, Yellow Gold
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Quartz, Diamond, Yellow Gold, White Gold, Rose Gold, 18k Gold, 14k Gold,...
21st Century and Contemporary German Modern Brooches
Diamond, Emerald, Gold, 14k Gold, 18k Gold, Rose Gold, Yellow Gold, Whit...